Letters back Home
by TheNoahsArkCircus
Summary: Soubi goes away for a mandatory Trip. But what happens to Ritsuka when he doesn't come back.?
1. Creme Colored Envelope

Ritsuka sat impatiently in the same spot he'd been sitting for the past hour: by the mailbox. He did this every other Friday, just sitting and waiting for the old postal man to come strolling up and hand him his mail. Most of it didn't interest him. There was only one thing he desired from the piles of bills and useless advertisements.

A small cream colored envelope.

A letter from Soubi.

Ever since Soubi left, Ritsuka had missed him. It had only been four months since he had left, but it was killing him, and he had six months left until his return. Soubi said it was some mandatory trip to Russia for college and that he had to attend. Ritsuka believed that Soubi disliked it just as much as he did.

Hopefully . . .

Finally, Ritsuka could breathe as he spotted the old postal worker coming down his street. Once he got to Ritsuka the man gave him a big smile.

"Why, you're always waitin' here aren't ya? Must be something about this day, huh? Well here's your mail. Have a good day, kiddo."

Ritsuka smiled sweetly at the man and ran back into his home.

After putting the rest of the mail on the counter, he slipped by his mother and quietly went up the stairs. Locking the door quickly, Ritsuka jumped on his bed and tore open the letter:

Dear Ritsuka,

_How is my sweet little Ritsuka?_  
_I sincerely hope you are doing well without me._  
_I miss you very much and I can't wait to leave this stupid place and hold you tightly again. Everything is going very well with me I suppose . . . kind of lonely._  
_But I have made a new friend, Ritsuka. Her name is Evelyn. She is quite stunning—so intelligent and attractive. I wish you will be able to meet her someday._  
_I hope you are doing well and I hope to be home earlier than expected._

Suki Dayo,  
Soubi Agatsuma

Ritsuka reread the letter again. He knew for a fact he didn't like this 'Evelyn' person. Who ever the hell she was, he disliked the way Soubi talked about her. Ritsuka shook off the jealous feelings and quickly put the letter with the rest of his collection. Pulling out a clean sheet he began to write his reply. . .

~Two weeks later~

Ritsuka sat in his normal position, waiting for the mailman. Hours went by before he saw him, whistling a small tune. Feeling he was taking too long, Ritsuka ran to him and looked up expectantly.

"Oh, hey, kiddo! Here's your mail. I'm sorry, but there doesn't seem to be a letter from that Soubi person, but here's the rest."

Ritsuka quickly grabbed the mail, flipping through it and hoping the mailman had made a mistake, but no such luck. Ritsuka made sure that he was out of eyeshot before he let the tears fall from his eyes.

Ritsuka sat on his floor, neko ears and tail limp. 'Soubi has never missed a letter . . . ever. Maybe it got lost in the mail.' Ritsuka's ears perk at the small glimmer of hope. "Y-yeah that's what happened, or maybe he sent it late. Of course Soubi wouldn't forget me… would he? No! Definitely not!'

Ritsuka crawled into bed, quickly falling into a dark slumber. Ritsuka held on to the glimmer of hope that guided him through the darkness. Days turned to weeks; weeks to months, and still no word from Soubi. Still, Ritsuka would sit by the mailbox, hoping, wishing that a letter would come.

Finally, it did. But it only held great pain for Ritsuka.

After thanking the mail man almost to the point of killing him, Ritsuka ran to his room, so excited he didn't even try to be quiet as he rushed past his mother. There was a wide smile on his face and tears in his eyes. Reaching his room and locking the door, he shredded the envelope open, taking the letter in hand as if was the most precious thing in the world.

After mentally preparing himself, he read:

_Ritsuka, I'm very sorry I haven't been writing back, but I've had more important things to do. I will not lie to you, Ritsuka . . . I've decided to stay in Russia with Evelyn. We are a perfect match and I have decided that I want to be with her. I'm sorry to have to tell you this in a letter but I think it is best th-"_

Ritsuka couldn't read anymore. Tears reached his eyes and made his vision blurry. He ached. His heart felt as if it had been put through every torture imaginable, and just as it was about to be free, it was enclosed in barbed wired, squeezed and torn without a hint of sympathy or mercy. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't see straight. His mind couldn't take the stress of it.

All he wanted was a way out.

He wanted away! As far away as possible! He opened the balcony door, climbed down, and blindly ran through the moonless night.

Stumbling every other step, Ritsuka had no idea where he was going, but he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted to get away from everyone and anyone who knew him. He figured if his mother, Seimei, and now Soubi could betray him, what's stopping the others as well. Yayoi, Yuiko, Shinome- seinsei, Youji, Natsuo—he couldn't trust any of them.

Reaching a small building, he realized he had reached the worst place in the world: Soubi's Apartment.

How? How had he ended up here? He had gone in the opposite direction . . . hadn't he?

Thinking back, he couldn't remember anything at all from his midnight walk. The sobbing must have made him mix up his directions.

Ritsuka sighed sadly. He had to go in. Not only was it dark and cold but Ritsuka was starting to feel the weight of his legs. He slowly made his way up to the room which was surprisingly unlocked.

Ritsuka let himself into the sight of a small living room with a large canvas sitting in the center. He kneeled down to examine it. The painting was halfway finished and definitely Soubi's . . . Wait Halfway?

Soubi never left his paintings half finished . . . strange.

After inspecting the apartment, (Besides Soubi's room of course. . .) it was pretty much empty, except for a few things here and there. Probably because Kio would stay at the apartment every now and then, but seeing that he wasn't there, Ritsuka decided to spend the night. He grabbed a blanket from the hall and huddled himself up on the couch, which left much to be desired.

Halfway through the night, Ritsuka kept hearing shuffling from the other room . . . Soubi's room. It slightly chilled him. Not just the noises but the fact that they were coming from Soubi's room. Ritsuka couldn't take it anymore and moved quietly towards the door. From the other side, he sensed something, something familiar yet forgotten; new but also aged.

He could feel the presence of something so close to him yet… so far away.

Ritsuka slowly turned the knob and darkness filled his vision. "h-hello.?"

A slight chuckle came from the side of the room. "Why, hello…Baby brother." Ritsuka's breath caught in his throat.

"Seimei" Ritsuka was drawn to the sweet voice of his older brother. But that was only until a small weak voice called out his name.

"R-Ritsuka, run away. . ." He only knew one person who could hold that much pain and mourning inside.

Ritsuka couldn't comprehend what was going on.

Could it all be a dream?


	2. Unwanted Possesions

NoahsArkCircus: Ahhhh, I'm so sorry it took so long!~ It's not very long but the next one will be longer!~ I promise~ T~T

* * *

Ritsuka looked back and forth at the two faces in the room. One he remembers well, and the other something a little more than a memory.

Soubi.

And Seimei.

Ritsuka quivered lightly at the sight before him. Seimei, standing oh so casually, a small smile on his face when he should be six feet under, and Soubi, hurt and defenseless, Shivering in the corner like a kicked dog. The whole picture unsettled Ritsuka, and made his blood run cold.

"S-Seimei?" Ritsuka reached his hand out, slowly walking towards his supposedly "dead" brother. A warm, hand engulfed his tiny one; Ritsuka looked up to find the face of his brother mere inches from his own.

"Oh, Ritsuka I've missed you so much, it's been such a long time. But now I'm back and we can be a family again." Seimei's words sounded so sweet; It was what Ritsuka wanted after all: To be a family again. Ritsuka was entranced by the offerings of such happiness until he caught another glimpse of Soubi.

Soubi looked horrible. His hair and clothes were all disheveled, face and chest covered in scratches and bruises. Blood leaked from his lips and a large gash to his forehead. He was propped against the corner of the room, like a mangled doll, doing nothing but staring back at Ritsuka, his eyes full of pain and pleading. He mouth opened and closed, forming silent pleas. Ritsuka took a step toward Soubi, arm outstretched to grasp the Sentouki's hand and pull him close, to comfort him, but his own arm was viciously yanked back into a not so loving embrace.

"Don't go near it Ritsuka" Seimei's words were filled with a mocking tone, "He's nothing more than a broken toy now. Look at him Ritsuka, he can't even talk!" Seimei let out a chuckle that made Ritsuka shiver. Seimei curled his fingers around Ritsuka's slender shoulders and pointed at the man slumped in the corner. "I told him you were dead" Seimei said casually. "And he finally cracked. All those years of abuse from not only Ritsu, but from me as well. You're "Death" Simply gave him the little nudge off his crumbling precipice into the raging waters that are insanity."Ritsuka stared at him shock and anger filled his features.

"Why the hell would you do that?" Seimei made a 'Tsk'ing noise. "Now Ritsuka, you shouldn't use such language, it's improper for a boy your age." Before Ritsuka could respond with another word, Seimei Continued. "I wanted…to break him. Sure I gave him to you to play with for a while, but everyone knows: no one really likes to share. And if I couldn't have him. . . Nobody could." Seimei smiled down at his brother, before reaching into his pocket to pull out his ringing phone. A few words were exchanged and Seimei clicked off the portable phone. "Well I'm off. Goodbye Ritsuka, we'll be seeing each other, very soon." And with that, Seimei left. Ritsuka watched his brother leave the room like any normal person, but he knew the devil himself just exited.


End file.
